Homestead-based Contender Boats sending unique trophy to Ford 400 winner
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[/media-credit]MIAMI – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will soon enjoy yet another prize from his victory in November’s Ford 400 — a 25-foot Tournament Model fishing boat, built by Homestead-based Contender Boats.
With delivery of the boat scheduled for later this month, Stewart appreciates the reward and come-from-behind victory that enabled him to claim it:
“We had to win the race to win the championship, and that’s what we did,” said Stewart. “To walk out of Homestead-Miami Speedway with a race trophy, the Sprint Cup championship trophy, and then to top it all off – a Contender fishing boat – it really doesn’t get any better than that. I’ve gotten some pretty cool trophies, even a couple of guns for winning poles and races, but never a boat. It’s cool. When we’re out on the water fishing with it, we’ll have a pretty good story to tell whenever someone asks about our boat.”
The vessel, which boasts a four-stroke, 300 horsepower Yamaha outboard, is valued at more than $115,000.
Homestead-Miami Speedway and Contender Boats are awarding the winner of Ford 400 a top-of-the-line fishing boat each year through 2013. This year’s season-ending championship race is set for Sunday, November 18.
About Contender Boats
Contender Boats was founded in 1982 and incorporated in Florida in 1984. It has operated continuously since then, producing more than 6,000 boats with both open and cabin configurations, ranging in size from 21 to 40 feet in length. The current production facility is located in Homestead, where all components are manufactured in-house including metal fabrication, carpentry, electrical, and upholstery. www.contenderoffshore.com
About Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The 640-acre facility is active more than 280 days per year and hosts NASCAR’s Championship Races during Ford Championship Weekend (November 16-18, 2012). The Sprint Cup Championship Ford 400 is broadcast live on TV and radio to 175 countries and into 24 languages. The 2011 championship attracted ESPN Television’s largest NASCAR Sprint Cup viewership ever with a peak audience of 10.5 million when the checkered flag fell. Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course, generates more than $250 million annually for the region.
Homestead-Miami Speedway continues its rich history of sports car racing in 2012 when the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series returns to South Florida’s road course. The Grand Prix of Miami, set for April 27-29, features Daytona Prototypes and Grand Touring classes in Race 3 of the 2012 GRAND-AM campaign. For information on the more than 280 events held each year at Homestead-Miami Speedway, please visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com or call 866.409.RACE.
